Bilateral South Korea-US consulting group meets in response to North Korean nuclear threats

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A bilateral consulting group of South Korean and U.S. officials has met in Seoul to discuss strengthening their nations’ deterrence capabilities against North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats. The Nuclear Consultative Group was established as part of agreements Presidents Joe Biden and Yoon Suk Yeol made when they met in April. Seoul officials say the group is tasked with sharing information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans and discussing joint operations. The U.S. retains operational control of U.S. nuclear weapons. Washington officials say the group’s establishment and other steps agreed upon in April were meant to ease South Korean worries about North Korean provocations while keeping Seoul from pursuing its own nuclear program.